Pear: Chapter 1 Normal Days
by JustRue
Summary: It's been about a year sense the capital was over thrown by the rebels and Katniss, Peeta, Gale, Haymitch, and everyone else are just staring to get back into the new swing of things. But their days are numbered, so get read for the excitement of Pearl!


November 22, 2013.- catching fire release date for movie.

NORMAL DAYS

It's been about a year sense my assasination of President Coin, and i'm still waiting for the consiquinces. Peeta says nothing will happen because everyone in the Capital could tell the President was just as crazy as Snow was. But I still have a strange feeling in the pit of my stomic that tells me something isn't right with all of this. But I have to let the feeling pass, I can't let it get in the way of my duties as one of the prominant leaders of Panem. I rarely see Gale, and when I do it's only for short periods of time. His new fancy job in District 2 is pretty permanent I guess,  
considering when he calls he never mentions wanting to come back home permanently. I'v moved to the Capital with Haymitch and Peeta. Peeta wasn't too fond on bringing Haymitch along, but we knew as our old mentor it would be selfish to not string him along with us.  
We moved into a small two bedroom house with a working stove and bathroom while Haymitch lives across the street from us. Which he seems to think that because of his home's close proximity to ours he can come on in whenever he pleases, which is fine I guess. But he doesn't always come over in the best of times. It's nice living with Peeta, he bakes and I hunt. Like how it would have been if he stayed in District 12. But even though the Districts have grown from Snow and the affects of the rebellion. It still isn't the same, the rubble from most of the Districts is still there and nobody seems to want to clean it up, considering nobody lives in Districs 12, 8, 4, and 7. 13 is now a medical center for patients who have either noware else to go or their injuries are so bad that the hospitals in the Capital or the Districs don't have the equipment to help them.  
My mother works and lives in 13 where she can easily work there and help the patients. I can't help but get a little choked up when I knew that Prim would have wanted that for herself as well. But Prim is gone and i'm going to have to come to terms with it, eventually. The nightmares about her death haunt me almost every night and Peeta stays up to comfort me. I feel guilty because he doesn't get enough rest and I know he needs it. He opened his own bakery in town. He named it Bread Boy. Kind of ironic considering that's what I call him occationally to make him smile and laugh about how we met those long years ago when we were just small children. His bakery does well and the perks of having fresh baked bread from the boy who I don't deserve is amazing. He's always been the one people look up too, I still don't understand why the rebels rescued me instead of Peeta at the games. I'm barely 18 and am working a steady job at the Capital justice building. Although my home is paid for I still feel the need to make my own money. Helps me feel acomplished after all that has happened to me and the people of Panem. My job is simple I order and stock the armery, which is barely ever used because our government has no need for arms. But we still have a fully stocked armery for emergencies. I also report to the Mayors of the exsisting Districs to fill out peace treaties and file paperwork back at the Capital to insure that Panem will never go back to how it was when Snow was President. At the end of my work day I try to throw in an hour or so to hunt before the sun goes down.  
I don't always have the time, or the energy, to hunt the morning. Peeta likes to stay in bed and talk.  
His infatuation with me sometimes is too much to handle. But I always let it go because he's still not completely himself. This hijacking that happened to him has changed him and at times he still gets confused and I have to shake him back to reality or remind him of a memory we share. So I let him talk and play with my hair in the mornings before we start the day. It's nice knowing I have someone who I can share my secrets, hopes, and dreams with now. I used to share those things with Gale, but his friendship is gone from my hands. And no matter what I do to try to get it back he gets up set and talks about how I chose the wrong love for me. He still loves me, and I think that's why he doesn't come around the house or visit. Sometimes I catch him at his families home down town in the capital. He just acts like he forgot to tell me he was going to be in town. I usually let it go, but it still hurts, and I know it hurts him too.  
It's starts of as a normal morning where I lay next to Peeta waiting for him to wake up and babble for a bit until we start the day. When he does wake i'm already up and dressed. "Hey, where are you going? Come over here." His grin is so wide it makes me laugh.  
"I'm going hunting this morning, my mothers coming into town later today so I wont have time to hunt after work at the Justice Building." "Hmm, fine. Can I ask you something?" His grin turns into a frown.  
"What is it?" I sit on the edge of the bed giving him my full attention.  
"How's Gale? I heard he's coming back to the Capital tomorrow..." He trails off.  
"He's fine, why do you look so aggitated?"  
"There are rumors that he's going to be nominated for Presidency next year." "I don't think so he's barely 20 and although he has the skills to lead, he lacks the skills to listen." We both laugh at the truth of it.  
"I don't know, maybe he would be a good leader, considering we don't have a president anymore." After Coin's death, the next leader was poisined and nobody has any evidence against anyone who might have been involved.  
"It's been rough I know. But thats why I have this job, to help some of the troubles pass without having to worry about a new leader that might bring us back to the Dark Days."  
He stares at the ceiling motionless.  
"I lied."  
"About what Peeta?"  
"I didn't hear a rumor. Gale told me he was running a few days ago when he called and you weren't home." He bites him lip.  
"Why didn't you tell me!" "I didn't want to upset you. I'm sorry." He grabs my hand.  
"It's okay, i'll see you at 6." I insure him i'm fine with a kiss.  
"Okay, love you."  
"love you." I rush out of the house bow and arrows in hand. I run through the streets determined to get to the forest as soon as possible. I make it to the forest edge and look up at the trees. I smile in thanks for this hope that I always get a few precious moments to be myself everyday in the woods. For about two hours I hunt and gather and bring home three rabits,  
a squirrel and a bag full of berries. Knowing Peeta's at the bakery I take a hot bath and think about why Gale didn't tell me he was going to run for president of Panem. I know he would do a great job. But I never see him and us working together again fast like nothings ever happened between us. I don't know how it's going to work but I have to find a way. I hop out of the tub still naked and dial his phone number. No answer, I then dial his mother's number and he answers.  
"Gale, it's Katniss." Long pause.  
"Peeta told you didn't he?" He's stern.  
"Yeah, how did you know?" I ask stupidly.  
"Because you wouldn't have called unless Peeta told you something important about me or something drastic happened and you were told to call me from the Capital." True, he knows me too well. He knows me well enough to know why we don't talk and why we avoid eachother.  
"Why didn't you tell me? I know we've been through allot this past year but I still thought you could trust me as serious as running to be the President of Panem, of me."  
"I thought so too, but I convinced myself otherwise. Look Katniss, you and I have been through allot, but you and I both know that you and I aren't close friends anymore. We grew apart, we no longer are permanent figures in eachothers lives. I'm sorry but it's true. I know somehow you thought you and I could fix this thing between us. But it would be better for me if we just worked together witout any confusion on our relationship status. We are going to be nothing more than casual friends in the work place. Okay? Katniss, you there?"  
"Not anymore." I slam the phone down on the reciever and quickly get dressed not carring what I look like and not bothering to brush my hair out. I pull myself together as I walk to the train station to meet my mother who is already waiting for me with flowers. "Katniss!" She sees me and her whole face lights up.  
"Mom! You look amazing."  
She hands my the flowers and I sniff them as if it's the last time i'll ever smell flowers again. "Daisies. I love them."  
"Now, what are we doing today?"  
"Well I have work but I can call and ask for a sick day. I'm sure they wont mind considering that they have so many workers there they wont even notice i'm not there today."  
I call and they let me have the day off as I exspected. "So what is today's plan?"  
"How about lunch first? I told Peeta I would see him near dinner but I think he would love to see you, and you haven't seen his bakery all done and finished yet."  
"Right!" She takes the lead and she seems excited I can't keep up with her pace.  
We arrive at Bread Boy's bakery and we can already smell the amazing cheese rolls Peeta's staff if baking. He knows they are my favorite so every day his staff makes a batch and saves me one with extra cheese on top. We enter the bakery and inhale the beautiful sent of bread and cakes. "I'll be right back, i'll go let him know we are here."  
My mother sits down in a puffy orange chair, Peetas favorite color, and waits for me.  
I see him sitting on a chair chatting with Orich his 13 year old apprentice. As Orich slices bread and hands a piece to Peeta for aproval he sniffs the bread then takes a small bite.  
"Perfect! Your born to be a baker Orich!" He smiles and sees me and patts Orich on the back and strides over to me with flour on his face. "Hello Ms. Everdeen. And I thought I wouldn't see you until tonight. What a lovely surprise." He gives me a "kiss and hands me a cheese roll. I grab a knife and split it with him. After we are done I tow him to my mother who stands up too quickly and far too excited.  
"Mrs. Everdeen, beautiful as always." Her smile is much to wide to guess she's faking it.  
She's always liked Peeta, even though he has the ocational mental break down. "Peeta, your looking dapper with your face full of flour as always." We all laugh and then make small talk and eat until about an hour after noon.  
"I don't want to keep you from your work, i'll go hang with my mom until after your done okay?"  
"Okay." He smiles hugs my mother and gives me a kiss on the cheek. I put the flowers in a vase that held old ones in the bakery and put mine in and write a note that says: Keep alive, or else. Love Katniss.  
My mother giggles and we hold hands and laugh our way around the city chit chatting about the hospital in 13 and my job at the Justice Building until she drops a bomb on me.  
"The hospital is shutting down and relocating to the Capital." Her eyes are filled with sadness now.  
"Why? 13 is the best place for a hospital, all those underground floors filled with steril medicin."  
"I know but the funding isn't enough and would be easier to treat patients in the smaller fasility here at the Capital, it's closer you know." Her head falls to her hands and she looks so tired.  
"You look tired, lets go home so you can have a nap before dinner. Okay?"  
"Okay." We walk home in silence and I wave to the neighbors as they walk by and say my hellos. Before I can get to the door I notice it's been kicked in.  
"Stay here." I say and I grab my extra bow from behind a bush infront and slowly open the door. The house is trashed.  
Droors opened up, pictures on the floor, broken glass, chairs ripped apart. It's as if someone was looking for something.  
I imediatly call the Capital officals and they take a look around. They call Peeta at the bakery and he heads home as fast as he can. When he arrives he can't help my stumble into me when he sees our trashed home.  
"What happened? Who did this? When I find out who did this I sware!" He rants and screams and I let him for a bit.  
"Peeta?" I grab him arm and lead him to a chair.  
"Who would do this?" My mother asks while holding a glass of water and taking some headace pills.  
"I dont know, but someone who needed something, or thought we had something they really needed." I say.  
"Whatt do you mean?" Asks Peeta.  
"Well, when I got here by the look of things it seems like whoever did this was looking for something. But I don't know what we don't really have anything thats too much value."  
"It's strange, I thought our lives were going to start to be normal." I take him hand and sit on his lap. "Maybe it's just another one of those random break ins." My mother says trying to make things better. Haymitch stumbles in more drunk than ever and starts mumbleing until he finds us.  
"What happened here? You guys get into a fight with your furniture? Did it get mad because your always sitting and putting things in it?" Not a time for joking and he realizes it.  
"It seems just like another break in." my mother replys.  
"But we don't know for sure yet, but I will make this right." Peeta makes his free hand into a fist.  
I wipe away his face with my sleeve to diminish the rest of the flour from it.  
"Was anything taken?" Asks Haymitch.  
"Don't know yet, the officals aren't done searching the place. We were told to stay put."  
"Katniss, I didn't see anyone break in while you were gone, maybe if I was paying more attention I would have..."  
"It's not your fault, like my mother said it's probubly just another one of those break ins. They happen sometimes."  
I jump off of Peeta's lap and start to pick up some of the pictures that were once hanging on the walls. That night we all, including Haymitch, sat around the tables nibbling bits of meat and bread while I attempted small talk. Seemed like nobody was in the mood for it, not even Haymitch. After dinner my mother announced she was too tired to stay up and that she would see me in the morning. Haymitch left a little after announcing there was a newly bought bottle of white liquire with his name on it at home. As I washed the dishes I couldn't help but worry myself with what had happened today. Why would someone break into my home? If it was someone I knew they would know that even though I had a huge part in the rebellion and have a little more money than most that I don't have anything of huge value except family pictures and of course Peeta, but he's not a material thing. I started to stare into the water in the sink when Peeta put his arms around my waist.  
"You okay sweetheart?" His famous word, sweetheart. More of a funny memory than a pet name.  
"Fine, just a little confused on why someone would be looking for something so franticly in our home." I feel a puzzled look on my face.  
"I don't know, but let's not worry about it tonight." He picks me up in one swift motion and a gasp escaped my mouth.  
"Well aren't you a strong one?" I wink and put my arms around his neck. I know it seems strange but it's as if Peeta and I are a married couple. We are just in a relationship, not married. But we act as if we are. Strolls in the park, me making dinner, him coming home after a long day at the bakery, and rubbing his shoulders after his volunteer hours at the Capital young military school. But it's all fine with me, maybe being married to Peeta wouldn't be so bad. The only thing that would be different would be my last name, not too different at all.  
After he carries me to the bedroom and flops me on the bed like i'm a sack of flour at his bakery. "I love you." He whispers in my ear when he climbs into bed with me. "I love you. Can I ask you something now?" He seems interested now.  
"Of course." "Would it be an odd thought if we got married?" I wait for him to respond, and as he thinks it over it's only several minutes before he responds but it feels like forever.  
"No, I think it would feel the same. Just a bit different knowing you would be offically all mine."  
"I am yours." I snuggle into him and rest my head on his chest.  
"I know, but I think we should get married."  
"Me too." I sit up and shake his hand.  
"Agreed." He then lays me back down and showers me with kisses. I can't help myself but to give in, once again to this amazing person who I know I don't deserve. By morning we are already up and cracking jokes to one another. I can smell ham being cooked in the kitchen. Ever sense Prim passed every time my mother visits she always wakes us up with a hot breakfast.  
She loves cooking and it helps her cope with the loss of her daughter. I usually confide in Peeta, never Haymitch. He never knows what to say. I have another day off of work today and so does Peeta because of the break in last night. We still have some things to sort out and I still need to talk to Gale about what our future holds. He still seems to think that we wont have any type of friendship in the future but a business related one, but I beg to differ. Whether Gale likes it or not we have a history, we were best friends once. And I can't afford to loose him. Other than my mother, friends, and Peeta he's the closest thing I have to family. He's like a brother to me and I hope he will realize it and come back to me, to this friend ship we used to share. I climb out of bed and pull on my robe and so does Peeta. I see my mother setting the table and pouring milk into glasses. "Goodmorning. Sleep well?" I ask her.  
"Pretty good actually considering yesturday's fiasco."  
"How's the head?" Peeta asks.  
"Better not much of an ace anymore, more like a linguring pain." She smiles and gestures for us to sit down.  
"I made ham and eggs, hope you guys are hungry. Like everyone else in Panem." An attempt to a joke, at least she's trying.  
I giggle in response to make her feel better. She's under allot of pressure with the hospital relocation and all, and still having to deal with Prim's death, as am I but I tend to hide my feelings. Gale and Peeta are the only ones who have really seen my cry, and I want to keep it that way. I have to stay strong for my mother, she's been through allot this past year. After eating we change and wash up and decide to clean up a bit of the house. That's when I notice that the pearl Peeta gave me in the Hunger Games is missing, along with the locket he gave me as well. "My pearl and the locket you gave me are missing."  
"You sure? Maybe you miss placed them." "No i'm sure. Maybe the person who broke in took them. But I don't know why they were only of sentimental value, nothing to sell or pon." I reply in confusion.  
"Still, you should report them stolen. Just incase they catch the person and the person has those things."  
He kisses my forhead and I call and report them stolen. We continue to clean up and my mother crumbles to the ground and starts to cry. I hold her until shes done. Knowing it's a break down associated with Prim's death and lead her to the guest room. I close the door behind and walk back downstairs shocked to find Gale standing in my kitchen.  
"Love what you'v done with the place." He says sarcasticly.  
"How did you get in? I bolted the door shut."  
"I have a master key to half the homes in the city, of the perks of being head of security." I never knew what exactly Gale's job was in District 2, now I know.  
"Yeah well you can't just come in whenever you want, you might scare people doing that." I start picking up things off the floor while he watches me like a hawk, like i'm going to pounch on him or something. "I'm still sorry, about everything." His apology is startling but confusing.  
"I know, but you said it yourself. You don't want to be friends anymore." I say gruffly.  
"Can't I change my mind?"  
"Over night, what? Did you have an apifany or something?"  
"Or something." Peeta comes down stairs and ignors Gale completely then starts stuffing the cussion for a broken chair back together.  
"He seems like he's having a great day." Says Gale, too happy to consider it a welcoming sentence.  
"He's had a rough night, maybe you should leave. But I'll think about your mind change. About our friendship." I wonder what might have changed his mind so quickly about us. I wonder why he didn't give me any type of explanation. Gale's always been sort of secretive, but never with me. Even when we were angery with eachother we always found a way to share secrets and hopes with eachother, even if it ment putting a little sadness into the other for a moment. I help Peeta clean up for the rest of the after noon and my mom leaves at the end of the day to go to District 13 to finish the packing for the transfer to the Capital.

At the end of the day i'm so tied I almost pass out on the couch after dinner. I almost do when Peeta comes and sits next to me holding a pieve of paper in his hands, looking puzzled. I reach for it and he pulls away.  
"Anything you want to share with me? Hmm?" I smile and try to reach for it again, he pulls away.  
"They left a note." "Who? The people who broke in?" I'm confused now.  
"Yes, here." He hands it to me and in big black letters it reads.

YOU HAVE SOMETHING OF MINE.

-Norlim

I crumple up the peice of paper and get up to reach the phone. Peeta grabs it before I can even dial one number.  
"Don't, let's call Haymitch before anyone else. I want to make sure that it's not just some idiot messing with us."  
"How would Haymitch know anything about this?"  
"Because even though he gets so drunk he can't remember his own name, he was still home when the break in happened. And I bet you anything he knows something. We just need to find out what it is, even if he doesn't know it himself."  
I take the phone, dial Haymitch. No answer. I then walk across the street and bang on his door.  
"Haymitch! I know your in there! Open the door before I break it down!"He opens the door less drunk as usual and in a nice suit, not as usual.  
"What is it sweetheart? I was just about to go out." He smiles, with brushed teeth!  
"Your looking...nice." He straightens up and smiles.  
"I'm going on a date, some young woman from the fishery asked me out tonight, i'm thinking we are going to some restaurant that involves rare fish or something, anyways...what's up kid?"  
"Not a kid, and are you sure you didn't see who broke into my house today? Because..." I trail off trying not to give too much information before I get any...if possible.  
"Now that I think about it, I did hear something but I just thought it was some annoying kids in the street so I ignored it.  
But then I heard glass break so I looked outside the window and saw a tall man with brown hair in your kitchen. I didn't think anything of it because I was so intoxicated but good thing you stopped by because knowing me I would have forgotten it by now." He can tell he's done good.  
"Anything else Katniss? I have to go."  
"one more thing, have you ever heard of someone names Norlim?" His face frowns.  
"Yes, i've heard of him. But he's long gone. Disapeared in the 69th Hunger Games when he was 17. He was pronounced dead but he body was never found, only blood. Why?"  
"Just heard some talk about him, was wondering. I'll let you go."  
"hey, everything okay?" He had his hand on my shoulder with his eyes with concern.  
"Yep, just had a few questions, i'll see you later." I nudge him and head out finding Peeta waiting for me at the door.  
"Anything worth sharring?" "Norlim is some tribute that dissapeared during the 69th Hunger Games, they only found his blood but pronounced him dead."  
"Well, I guess he found us. But why? We don't have anything of his, and if we do. What is it?"  
"I don't know but he was 17 I think when he was in the games. So he's got to be about 24 or 25 now."  
"Anything else."  
"Haymitch said he heard some glass break and a tall man with dark hair in our kitchen through his window."  
"Why didn't he mention this before!"  
"Too drunk, calm down it's going to be okay." I touch his face and we head to bed, and the rest of the night is all about us and our love, not thinking about what tomorrow might bring. Only thinking of eachother and how much we need eachother. For the rest of out lives. Hopeing that the rest of our days, will be Normal Days.


End file.
